Quebec government vows to rebuild destroyed Roberval courthouse

Courthouse in Quebec goes up in flames The Roberval courthouse in Quebec was in the middle of a $66 million renovations when it went up in flames May 8, 2021.

ROBERVAL, QUE. — On Sunday, a day after the Roberval courthouse burned down, government officials vowed to rebuild.

According to the Surete du Quebec (SQ), a call was made about the fire at around 7 p.m.

SQ spokeswoman Beatrice Dorsainville called it a "major fire".

Police officers assisted various fire departments in the region.

A video broadcast by the local media outlet L'Etoile du Lac shows the roof of the building under renovation being consumed by flames.

Around 11 p.m., firefighters were still trying to limit the damage.

"I am very sorry for the people of Roberval. This construction was a long awaited project. The government will have to announce the reconstruction," said Jonquiere Parti Quebecois (PQ) MNA Sylvain Gaudreault on Twiiter.

The courthouse was in the middle of a $66 million renovation that began in 2019 and was scheduled for completion in 2022-23.

"It's part of us that's going up in smoke," wrote Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, a Bloc Québécois MP for the region.

On Sunday, the minister responsible for Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean Andree Laforest said the facility would be rebuilt. The announcement was echoed by Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barette on Twitter.

-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2021. 

-- with reporting from CTV News.